Blood and Bone
by particularly good finder
Summary: As something begins to possess Mabel, the mysteries surrounding Gravity Falls all start to unravel - including that of Dipper's unusual birthmark.


"_It will all be over soon."_

_The hooded figures gather around the bed, except it isn't a bed, it's cold and hard and this isn't the attic that Mabel fell asleep in. But how did she get here, and why are her hands and legs bound? She needs to get back or Dipper will be worried. _

"_Let me go!" The words bubble out in a sob, but it isn't Mabel's voice that pleads with the robed men. "Please don't do this! Mommy! Mommy! Help!" _

"_Shh…" A man clamps his hand over Mabel's mouth, muffling the voice that isn't hers. "This won't hurt a bit." _

_A knife flashes in the dimly lit room that isn't the attic of the Mystery Shack, and all Mabel can think is that the man in the top hat is a liar, because it _does _hurt. The pain is intense, so blindingly intense that Mabel can't help screaming in that voice that isn't hers. _

"_Shh…you are just one little star in a great, wide galaxy, darling. Your light isn't being extinguished, tonight – it's becoming a supernova. Hush…sleep now." _

_Mabel screams again, knowing that she is about to die._

"DIPPER!"

Mabel landed with a _THUD_ on the floor, sending a jolt up her tailbone. She let out a small squeal of pain, squeezing her eyes shut. A light switched on, and Dipper's bed creaked as she shuffled from under the covers.

"Mabel! Are you okay?" Mabel opened her eyes to see her brother crouched in front of her, a concerned look on his face.

"Uh, yeah!" She said, blinking a couple times as the last remnants of the dream slipped away. "Just had a nightmare."

Dipper frowned. "Because of Gideon?"

It had only been earlier that evening that Gideon Gleeful had very nearly hurt Dipper in a psychopathic attempt to be closer to Mabel. Guilt was fresh in Mabel's mind, but as far as she could remember, Gideon hadn't been in the nightmare at all.

"Uh, I don't think so." Mabel shrugged. "Scary dreams happen." She was silent for a moment, then whispered. "I was really scared for you, though."

Dipper gripped her shoulder, a small smile on his face. "Yeah, and then you kicked Gideon's butt."

Mabel giggled. "I did, didn't I?"

"C'mon, let's get back to bed. Awkward sibling hug?"

Mabel half-fell into her brother's embrace, almost laughing with joy as he patted her back. There had been a split second where she thought Gideon was going to kill Dipper, and that she wouldn't be able to save him.

At that moment, Waddles, Mabel's pet pig, broke through their hug, snorting and snuggling into their laps. The twins dissolved into a raucous laughter, and only stopped when Grunkle Stan shouted from downstairs, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?"

Mabel fell asleep quickly after that, snuggled up to Waddles, all thoughts of the man in the top hat gone from her mind.

* * *

"Hey, Dippin'-Sauce, heads up!"

Dipper ducked reflexively as Mabel tossed an old cassette tape at his head. Wendy, who was standing behind him at the register, caught it effortlessly, and popped it into the dusty boom box the twins had discovered in their attic bedroom.

A jazzy tune started playing, and the girls danced around the Mystery Shack gift shop, coercing Soos into doing a couple twirls himself. Dipper laughed, and continued sweeping under the counter, hoping Wendy wouldn't notice his lingering gaze or apparent blush.

"What's all that noise in there?" Grunkle Stan asked as he walked into the room. "I haven't heard this song in years." He paused a moment to reminisce. "Yup. Still hate it."

"Dipper and I found a collection of these funny ol' tapes in the attic, Grunkle Stan!" Mabel shouted over the music. "Soos told us that it's what old people listened to music on before iPods!"

Grunkle Stan tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, they're not mine. Must be Pomona's."

"Pomona?" Dipper asked, looking up from his cleaning. "You mean Grandma Mona?"

"Yeah, some of her stuff is still floating around this place. She always did have a horrible taste in music. You kids turn that junk off, or you'll scare away all my customers!"

Wendy turned the boombox off, raising an eyebrow at Dipper. He blushed, shrugging at his great uncle's curmudgeonly ways. Mabel put her hands on her hips.

"But Grunkle Sta-an! We were having a dance party!"

Stan straightened his fez in the reflection of one of the windows, half-ignoring his great-niece. "And now you're working."

"Is that what he thinks we do?" Wendy whispered in Dipper's ear. He laughed a little, but was ultimately distracted by the look in Mabel's eyes. He'd never seen her get angry over something so petty or act so spoiled about not getting her way, but now, at this moment, Mabel Pines was on the verge of a full-out tantrum.

"Wendy, turn the music back on."

Wendy looked up in surprise at Mabel's command. "What?"

Mabel whipped around to look at the older girl, and Dipper could have sworn her eyes glowed. "Turn. It. Back. On."

"No you don't, Wendy," Grunkle Stan cut in, a cross look on his face. "You're all employees here, and while I can't afford to fire any of you, you still have jobs to do – and that means the dance party will have to wait."

Normally, Wendy would have rolled her eyes and mumbled a sarcastic remark, but there was something in Mabel's face that kept her frozen in fear. The younger of the girls turned back to her great-uncle, and hissed through her teeth, "Do not defy me, Standford."

With a menacing growl, Mabel stormed from the room, leaving everyone in a stunned silence. Grunkle Stan looked flabbergasted.

"Well…I'm just gonna go give my tour, then," he said, scuttling away. "Tell Mabel she's grounded or something."

"Huh," Soos murmured, looking to where Mabel had exited. "Something's not right with her today."

Wendy grimaced. "Did her break-up with Lil' Gideon go that badly?" She asked, looking at Dipper.

"Uh, yeah, it was…scary," he answered, avoiding the redhead's eyes. "Um, I'm just gonna go find Mabel…make sure she's okay."

"Be careful, little dude!" Soos called after him. "She looked super mad!"

Dipper nodded, then ran out of the room and up to the attic bedroom he shared with his sister, knowing fully well that she was probably halfway to sweater-town at this point. Just as he thought, Mabel was tucked into her oversized poodle dog sweater, slouched in a corner. Waddles stood next to her, licking her hair every so often in a gesture of comfort.

"Mabel…" Dipper crouched down next to Waddles, tugging at his sister's turtleneck collar. "Are you feeling okay?"

"M'fine, Dipper," she mumbled back, voice muffled by the knit of her sweater. "Is Grunkle Stan mad?"

"Well, you're grounded. Or something," Dipper said, trying to keep his tone light. "But he was kinda more shocked than anything. None of us have ever seen you get like that, Mabel."

Mabel poked her eyes out from the confines of sweater-town, and Dipper saw that they were brimming with tears. "I don't know what came over me!" His sister wailed, sitting up a little. "I was a little annoyed that Grunkle Stan wanted the dance party to be over, and then suddenly I'm yelling at him and storming off. I just couldn't help myself – it was so scary!"

At this last part, Mabel yanked the rest of her face out from within her sweater, and she gave Dipper a pleading look. He patted her shoulder and said, "Hey, look, we all have cranky days. Why don't you come back downstairs and we can sneak some candy from Soos's secret stash and get Wendy to tell us awesome teenager stories?"

Mabel gave him a sad little grin. "I guess I should go apologize to Grunkle Stan, huh?"

"Give it a little bit, and then I'm sure he'll un-ground you or something."

Mabel stood, and helped pull Dipper to his feet. "Thanks, Dip. You always know how to make me feel less crazy."

Dipper shrugged. "That's what twins are for. I think."

They both laughed, then headed back downstairs, unaware that they were being watched.

* * *

"Mother, make me a grilled cheese!" Gideon demanded, plopping down at the kitchen table in a huff. The loss of his amulet had been a low blow, and his mood was growing fouler by the moment. Barbara Gleeful trembled, then quickly made her way to the stovetop.

"Extra cheese," Gideon continued, leaning his chair back. "And make sure the bread is perfectly buttered before you toast it – you know how Lil' Ole Me loves his butter-wutter."

Barbara pursed her lips and said nothing as she buttered the bread and layered the slices of cheese. Her hand slipped as she set the sandwich in the skillet, knocking the butter to floor with a crash.

"You idiot!" Gideon screamed. "How could anyone be so stupid?"

Normally, his mother would have cleaned up the mess without a word, but this time was different. She turned to him, eyes glowing and joints slack. Gideon felt his heart drop.

"You do not speak to Mommy that way," Barbara said, but it wasn't her voice that came out past her quivering lips. "Do not forget who is in charge here, Gideon."

"S-sorry, I-I just-" Gideon knelt to the floor, scooping up the broken bits of the butter dish. "See? I'm cleaning it up! I'm a good boy!"

"Of course you are," Barbara said mockingly. "But I don't need you anymore."

"W-what?" Gideon got to his feet slowly, hands stinging from the sharp edges of the broken porcelain.

Barbara's eyes glowed brighter, almost white in the intensity of her next words. "Mabel Pines destroyed your power; I have no use for you anymore. I have found another."

Gideon blanched, then asked, in disbelief, "Who? Who else could there possibly be?"

"Dipper," said the voice coming from Barbara's lips. "Dipper Pines."

* * *

**Hey, everyone, thanks for reading chapter one! I know it's a bit of a slow/awkward start, but I've got quite a bit planned for this fic, so if you kinda, sorta like it, let me know! (I guess - lord, it's been a while since I've attempted a full-length fic)**


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